Taiwan may further restrict tech over spectre of mainland China taking sensitive technology
- Lawmaker expects regulatory-tightening discussions to take place in coming months, with an eye on protecting Taiwan’s critically important tech industry
- Illegal tech transfers have long been a thorny issue between China and its major economic partners, despite improvements in IP protections in recent years
The Taiwanese parliament is likely to review the process of technology transfers to mainland China amid fears that leaked advancements and know-how could threaten the island’s critically important tech sector, according to a senior legislator in Taipei.
In the latest potential divide between Taiwan and mainland China, lawmakers feel “growing concern” about how to restrict and monitor transfers of technology, said Lo Chih-cheng, director of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s parliamentary caucus.
Lo anticipates that a regulatory-tightening discussion will take place within the next half year, in the interest of better protecting the security and competitiveness of Taiwan’s tech sector.
“It’s a very sensitive issue, so we need to approach the issue very carefully,” Lo told the Post on Monday, adding that while Taiwan already has some solid policies in place, “China has a way to get around those legal barriers”.